jasonelmore :
our DSL boxes are still using T1's btw.. Windstream does not want to offer speeds faster than 3 Mbps because that would cannibalize their T1 sales. T1 3 Mbps for example is $600 a month. 6 Mbps T1 $899 a month.
Business's in the city that can get cable, drop their t1's, because they can get 20X the speed at 100X LESS the cost.
As a fellow Windstream customer, I wholeheartedly agree with most of what you've said in your other posts. It's true, however, that Windstream will likely sell you a pair of T1s (they market it as "ethernet direct") for a 3Mb/s connection at about $280/mo. They'll connect even the most rural of locations with this service if you're OK w/ paying $4k / year.
Also, your claim that businesses are dropping t-spans in favor of cable isn't really accurate. A lot of companies have investments in telecom equipment - phones, telephony, voice-mail, Internet services - that is built around connecting and sharing t-spans. It takes more than saving a few dollars a month to obsolete tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment and a very good SLA.
ok let me get this out front.. I'm a technology consultant for 10 business's in my area. You mention all those thousands of dollars of equipment they have for Tspan networks.
Let me ask you this, What if they had a good solid cable connection, and went to IP Telephony? Avaya, cisco, etc... The only equipment needed for IP Telephony is a Cisco or Avaya Switch, that goes into the broadband trunk.
Lets Compare:
Analog System: on average $1000 a month for service (6 Mbps Sym) + $2000 one time equipment setup
Digital IP system: Cable Business class Internet at $100 a month (50 mbps/20 Up for service, + $1000 one time switch purchased.
Year over Year savings by going digital: $10,800 per year savings with Much much better service and SLA.
PLUS, 10 sq foot more room in your server room because you dont need blocks.
Almost all business i service have moved over to IP Telephony (Conway Trucking, Krogers, Walmarts, IGA Foods). The only ones who haven't are the ones that can't get cable internet. And all those T1 cards, 66 blocks, are getting shipped back to Windstream.
3 Mbps via 2 T1 lines to Mux is higher than 250 a month.
Also to the guys who fear privacy concerns with goverment take over.. I
There is a very simple and cheap solution to your concerns. A VPN. you can get a VPN for $40 a year with unlimited bandwidth (and they dont keep logs) So everything is encrypted.. See private internet access.
If the government can bring us faster speeds and more choices, i can live with privacy concerns, because privacy on the net is a much easier problem to solve than getting ISP's to upgrade their equipment, backbones, and speeds.
It's gotten so bad here, i've heard talk of people saying they are gonna vandalize the windstream boxes with guns, trucks, fire, etc.... to make them replace it with newer stuff. I know it sounds crazy, but people are sick and tired paying a lot for very little..
Next time you see one of those box's and notice a ton of little dents in it, That's because someone tried to take it out with a shotgun. You wouldn't believe some of the stories i've heard from a Linesman i know.